


Closer to You

by allthehearteyes



Series: It Sounds Like Fluff to Me [9]
Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Coffee?, Dancing, Loving boyfriends, M/M, Music, outsider pov, soft boyfriends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-23
Updated: 2019-04-23
Packaged: 2020-01-24 12:47:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18571801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allthehearteyes/pseuds/allthehearteyes
Summary: Max gets more than he bargained for when he went looking for coffee filters at 3:00am.





	Closer to You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [BeStillMySlashyHeart](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeStillMySlashyHeart/gifts).



> This is inspired by Bestillmyslashyheart’s bday request. One of her fav tropes!  
> My first go at an outsider POV. Be gentle.
> 
> I hope you enjoy enjoy it! ❤️
> 
> Find me on Tumblr (same user name)

It’s nearly 3:00am when Max walks into the only 24 hour grocery store in Roswell. He’s feeling grumpy and irritated.

_I can’t believe we don’t have any coffee filters at the station._

He doesn’t usually have to work the overnight shift, but since Cam left he’s had to help fill in the gaps. Cam hasn’t returned any of his texts, and he doesn’t blame her. He hadn’t treated her well, as a partner or otherwise.

The lights in the store are bright and there’s music playing on the speakers. He heads toward the coffee section and stops dead in his tracks. 

_What are they doing here?!_

Michael and Alex are standing in the middle of the aisle, facing the shelf, side by side. Alex is leaning over Michael’s shoulder, arm draped across his back.

 _Shit!_  

Max quickly moves to hide by the end cap. He hasn’t seen Michael in weeks. Not since he’d pulled his gun on him, and Alex had threatened to end him if he ever did something like that again. If he’s being honest, he’s a little afraid of Alex Manes. Maybe even more than a little. The guy’d been to hell and back, was tough as nails, and clearly very protective of Michael. Somewhere along the way Alex had seriously honed his death-stare skills. Max shudders a little as he remembers those brown eyes shooting daggers at him, daring him to cross the line.

Max has been feeling guilty and embarrassed about his behavior since that day, and about the previous ten years too. In addition to Alex’s wrath, Liz and Isobel had given him a tongue lashing about his overall treatment of Michael. He’d tried to defend himself, but eventually Max had to admit the truth. They were right, all three of them were absolutely right, he’d been a terrible brother to Michael. Just full on shitty.

Max peeks around the corner again, and sees Michael crouching down. He’s holding two bags of coffee, Alex is pointing at the yellow one, his other hand resting on Michael’s nape. It looks like they’re discussing their options, but Max isn’t close enough to hear them.

Now he remembers why they’re probably grocery shopping at this ungodly hour. Liz had mentioned that Alex doesn’t always sleep well. Must be that Michael stays up with him. 

 _I’m not surprised. He’s always thinking about others._  

Alex says something and Michael starts laughing. Really laughing. Head thrown back, full bodied laughing. Max hasn’t seen Michael like this in ages. In fact, he’s been so wrapped up in his own life over the past decade, he hasn’t paid much attention to Michael at all. 

Max feels kind of weird about watching them like this so he moves back behind the end cap again. He thinks about how much he’s missed out on, not appreciating his brother or even bothering to really get to know him. How his choices have driven a wedge between them. How they’d been close in high school, but he’d pushed Michael away out of fear and what he thought was self preservation.

Max absently notices a new song start to play over the sound system. He’s hoping Michael and Alex have finally wandered off, so he takes another look.

_Nope still there. Dammit! I just want to get coffee filters and get out of here._

Max sees they’re standing again, facing the shelves, Alex is pressed to Michael’s back, maybe whispering something? Alex steps back and reaches out his hand to turn Michael around. Michael is chuckling, but he shakes his head and puts his hands up in a playful ‘stop’ motion. Alex keeps talking, wait, no, he’s not talking. He’s singing along to the music. Alex starts to shift his hips a little while Michael looks on. 

 **_I wanna sleep on the hard ground_ ** ****  
**_In the comfort of your arms_ ** ****  
**_On a pillow of blue bonnets_ ** ****  
**_In a blanket made of stars_ ** ****  
**_Oh, it sounds good to me_ **

Max pulls his head back. Not sure what to do. He’s pretty sure neither of them wants to see him, and his presence would definitely be unwelcome. He peers around the shelves again.

Alex grabs Michael’s hand, and pulls him in tight. Their faces close together, arms around each other, they begin to sway. Eyes closed, Michael leans in as Alex kisses his forehead and continues to sing the next verse.

 **_I wanna walk and not run_ ** ****  
**_I wanna skip and not fall_ ** **_  
_ ** ******I wanna look at the horizon and not see a building standing tall**

 **_I wanna be the only one for miles and miles_ ** **_  
_ ** **_Except for maybe you and your simple smile_ **

Max looks away.

 _Michael is really happy. I’ve never seen him like this_.

He thinks about how Michael missed out on ever knowing love as a kid, how he survived so many terrible places, and is still somehow _the_ most generous person Max has ever known. Max thinks about how Michael has been selfless in his offers to help over the years, is always the first one willing to make sacrifices for the wellness of others, and how he never asks anything of him or Iz. Or anyone really.

Max hears loud laughter and his gaze is drawn back to them. Michael and Alex. Their faces are bright, creased with joy, as they appear to be attempting a Texas Two Step. Right here in the coffee aisle of the grocery store. They’re a little uncoordinated and awkward, but they’re managing. Alex is still singing to Michael.

**_Cowboy take me away_ **

Alex flings Michael out from him, their hands locked, and brings him back in close. He spins them.

**_Set me free, oh, I pray_ **

**_Closer to heaven above and closer to you_ ** ****  
**_Closer to you_ ** ****  
  
They press their foreheads together as they continue to dance. Both of them have their eyes closed now. Alex continues to sing.

 **_I said, I wanna touch the earth_ ** ****  
**_I wanna break it in my hands_ ** ****  
**_I wanna grow something wild and unruly_ ** **_  
_ ** ******Oh, it sounds so good to me**

Max smiles to himself and nods. Clearly these two aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. He decides he doesn’t need coffee that much. He’ll leave them to their moment. No need to disrupt their fun.

Max heads toward the door, determined to really start making a genuine effort where Michael is concerned. He has a lot to make up for, and he’s got to be a better brother and a better friend to him.

He stops short to send a quick text to Liz. He knows she won’t get it until the morning, but he doesn’t want to wait.

 **_Max:_ ** _We should have Michael and Alex over for dinner this week._

 **_Liz:_ ** _Great idea! I’m glad you’re ready._

 **_Max:_ ** _Me too. Why are you up?_

 **_Liz:_ ** _Was working on newest version of the serum. Going to bed now. I love you, Max Evans. I’m proud of you._

 **_Max:_ ** _Good night, babe. Thank you for being patient with me. I love you, too._

It’s a start. He’s got a long way to go, but he’s going to put in the time to show Michael that he’s an important and integral part of this family. Max strolls out of the store to the last line of the song. 

**_Closer to you._ **

He always did like The Dixie Chicks’s, _Cowboy Take Me Away_.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading.


End file.
